Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-11-08
THE SIOUX DOMAIN.

bftt. S'SoN DSithfHs
Som ethtng Should be bone Towards
Reducing ATS Arsa-lnEarmatiou from
the Reservation.
Mitchell Greek, Sioux Reservation,
correspondence Minneapolis journal: /
have now been on ths Sioux reservation
two months, and formed an idea of its
extent. | have also met and interviewed
the leading men OF the territory, and /
nave yet to find the frat one who does
not acknowledges that the opening of this
vast domain is @ subject OF paramount
Importance TO ell the people OF this
suffering territory 1T III admitted on
all sides and by every intelligent person
whether statesman or plebian. No
question affecting so largely the material
lnteresta OF Dakota, which embraces by
far the largest area and contains more
! than half u million OF people, will soon,
we hope, come before congress during
the next session now soon to convene.
The questions OF division or OF state
hood IN any shape, whether the great
territory be divided by the line known
as the seventh standard parallel, by the
Missouri river or by the 45th parallel of
| latitude, are not worth talking about in
| compassion with the transcendant in
! terests involved in the question as to
whether the vast district of country
| known as the Great Sioux reservation
| lying between the Missouri and the
l03d degree OF longitude west; and ex-
| tending far greater distance north
and south, is to remain unin-
habited by civilized people. "Division."
statehood" and "local option" now ab-
sorbIng the attention of pseudo states
men anxious for suck at some OF the
/ public teats, to be made and provided
might we'll, for the interest OF the
masses, take a holiday for year at
least, while this other matter of opening
to homestead occupation the largest
body of our public domain any where on
the continent outside OF Alaska, should
receive the attention of everyone. How
absurd it is that rs, 900 Sioux should
] be left to roam over that vast region oil
the finest agricultural and grazing land
IN America. Abont 1900 acres to each
brave, squaw and papoose, were the
/ whole divided among them pro rata
while 10000 OF white people are anxious
~ awaiting opportunity to locate upon
it and thus contribute immensely to the
general welfare and wealth. II the
Sioux, or any numerically respectable
portion OF that ciess vi folks known as
Il Indian philanthropists," were averse
to oedlne at least 100000 or ii ,0G0 ,O0(
acres of the reservation, or If any con,
ceivable reason could be assigned by any
congressman for leaving such lands un-
occupied rather than lived upon in some
useful way, then the people of Dakota
H1wnt nta.,H .,ko Il
with patience. But, since the indians
have sort Of title to millions OF acres
more than they have any earthly use
for and are therefore most willing, aye,
anxious to exchange their title to such
excess OF land for the cattle, horses, farm
implements, schools, etc., which they
need, it Is not possible for any one to
offer half-good reason for opposing
some such Legislation as was proposed by
the Dawes bill. OF course, it would bt
un wise to have the Indians in possession
of any thing like such extent OF the Mis-
) souri, river coast es the Dawes bill pro-
poses-i. e., such is the Dakota view, yet
even that would be preferable to nc
move at all-anythlng better than Ieav-
ing these sayages IN their tribal relation
or upon lsnus in eeveralty apart from
1 Whib0 pCsttCL6. 41oW6NbIy bAeE6
neither time nor inclination to.niph
, for considering details OF such measures
in fact, TO the four Winds with then
and everything connected with proposed
I Dakota legislation in congress duripl
the next session. except tina
i every Dakotaian who may visi
the capital this winter should adyocat,
the opening of the reservation, q
Ioh hnu ala kbak
In short, the failure by congress to opel
, to settlement by enterprising and indus
trious people the great stretch OF coun
try referred to, is cheat and fraud ny
on all the people who have locate,
J. either in the Black Hills country or cas-
j OF the Missouri, and who have investet
n their millions upon millions of dollar
and years of time end labor in develop
. ing the country's resources, con6aentl
y relying upon the Justice and wisdom {
: the general government. not to pre-
4 vide, bat to offer them the privileg
! themselves to provide for, developin
the great country lying between thei
Il interests OF each of the sections named
y For years the Chicago & Northwester
|. railway has butted up against the re
serystion OF Pierre, while Chamberlai
has in like manner been the wester
y terminus of the Chicago, Milwaukee
St. Paul, yet both cities are to-day d
pendens on pnil teams and pack hors,
ae means OF transportation to ard fro
{ the Hills. Surely congress should I
z sonething for Dakota this Writer.
II The above thoughts came 10 my mir
a tonight ae sat by o log fire In an o
= deserted camp house on Mitchell Gree
y Here was alone. within horse as p
= sole companion. The howlinR OF Il
10 coyote and the prairie wolf sdded son
- relief to the silenee that rsigned supren
= without, and wondered to myself W
= something drop this winter TO transfer
81 this great boundiesH prairie into hom